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MOTI - My Heart Speaks
- Mr. Shankar Anappindi

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Back from the school, Dattu has kept his school bag aside and cycled his way into the village with a basket of garlands that were kept ready by his mother. His mother used to bond the flowers with green leaves which gave it a pleasant appearance to fix one’s eyes on, driving the village woman to purchase them in beautifying their dwelling. His mother also used to put some roses of different colours……red, yellow, pink & white etc…….blossomed and beautiful buds in the basket. Dattu is very punctual and her mother kept the things ready for him. Dattu is a school going boy who starts his day at 5:00AM distributing newspaper, at 6:30AM he finds his place on the steps of the village library and recites the previous day’s lessons taught at school. At 8:00AM he reaches home, takes his breakfast and reaches school by 9:00AM. Back from the school in the evening, Dattu used to sell flowers in the nearby colony that was newly formed. Probably you might have been thinking why Dattu has to do all these things? This is all because, the scholarship he receives from the Govt. caters to the school fees needs only. To do with the other education expenses such as purchasing notebooks, textbooks etc. he started to spend his time in earning a means to meet the ends. However, this was not the situation when his father was alive. They also lived in a good house with facilities like current, radio, gas stove etc. Dattu had a special table, chair and cupboard in the house. But, unfortunately his father was addicted to cheap liquor that ultimately got their family to the roads. Lots of money was spent in saving the life of his father. All the efforts were for nothing and they are now left with couple of utensils to cook and eat. To get on with the living and in order to earn bread to her beloved son, Dattu’s mother used to work as servant maid in a couple of houses. With the little earnings she used to buy flowers, prepare the garlands and kept them ready for sale by the time Dattu returned home. In spite of all these hardships, Dattu never lets him down and always keeps a cheerful smile on his lips. He is determined to excel in studies, his aim is to attain a good job and serve his mother to the rest of his life. His daily earnings are a way towards this accomplishment. It was evening time…..Dattu was back from the school and cycled his way into the village to sell the basket of flowers. He first sells the flowers & garlands to the regular customers who stay in the 1st floor and the adjacent 2 buildings in their neighbourhood. Everyday he used to look into the window of the 3rd building and always finds a gloomy girl looking at the world through the windowpanes. With unclean hair, deserted looks it appears as if her parents never nurtured the girl. Colony children used to call her MOTI (Pearl) and some time they used to tease her (MOTI – The Fatty). Dattu never sold flowers to the owners of that house. Because there are hardly any portraits of divine and hence they never offered prayers to the almighty in the house. He came to know this when once he knocked at their door to find if they like to buy the flowers and was shouted for doing so. From then on, he never attempted to revisit the place. But whenever he passed the way after selling the flowers in the adjacent houses, he always observed Moti sitting besides the window. It appeared to him as if she was mentally retarded. Children never invited her to play with them. Instead, they made fun out of her. Some used to tease her exhibiting their skills in the sphere, some called her with silly sounds and some used to throw small stones at her. Moti took everything on her and neither retorted to their acts nor turned her face off. Finally, after some time all the children stopped their nonsense tricks of making a fool out of her. They are off for the day shouting………. “Idiot moti, mental moti, fat moti……….” However, Dattu developed a soft corner towards Moti. He went near her and told not to worry about these people, as they are not her kind of material. However, Moti showed no signs of reaction to his words and just stared into his eyes. Dattu took out a rose from the basket and wanted to give it to her. But, she never bothered to take the rose in her hands and remained still. Dattu tossed it across the window and made it fall in her lap. The next day he again offered her a rose and there was no change in Moti’s expressions. Then the 3rd, 4th & on 5th day he got a sigh of relief seeing her face glow as she tried shedding the depressions of her mind. She started responding to his act and used to look at Dattu whenever he passed the lane. She recognized him and took the roses he gave with her right hand. Dattu was overjoyed and started making friends with her. Though Dattu is not well off to offer a rose everyday at free of cost, he kept up with the practice as he wished to see her twinkling eyes and the cheer on her face. As the days rolled, Dattu came to know that Moti’s mother died on giving birth to her and unfortunately Moti was born mentally retarded and adding to her troubles, she is born with weak legs. Her father blamed her to be the cause of his wife’s death and never bothered to take care about Moti and treated her in low spirits. Since, he had to fulfill his duties as father, he hired a servant maid to take care of her. Even she never showed motherly towards her and used to be cruel to her. She never bothered to dress her hair and never gave her proper food. But, Moti used to bear all this quietly. Though she is growing in her age, she was less matured. As no child used to talk or play with her, she was habituated to sitting near the window watching them play. Probably, as she cannot work out because of physical illness she had put on weight that has become a means of fun for the children of her age who used to tease her “hey fatty!” One should realize that even the mentally or physically handicapped crave for love in their life and unconditionally expect the parent’s love. We also should realize that they should be treated with extra care and affection. We need to try understanding them, identify their needs and provide the same. It’s our responsibility to treat them soft and secluded. Though Dattu was not so matured to think about all this, but he cultivated a place for her in his heart and used to feel sorry for the troubles she had to face with. Of course, Dattu never thought about the rose that he gave to Moti and continued to do so to sustain the happiness in her face. But, the simple act of Dattu changed Moti’s life. In the beginning she used to pass the time looking at the rose. Gradually she started drawing and painting the pictures of the rose that Dattu gave to her. She spent days looking at the pictures of the roses to keep herself happy through out the day, forgetting her bitter past. Moti never bothered about the children who teased her, she never bothered about the servant maid who ill-treated her. All that she has in her hands is the beautiful rose given by Dattu and the every day pictures she used to sketch. By Almighty’s kindness, Moti’s father observed the change in her and her interest in painting. He purchased the painting kit consisting of paint, brushes and canvas. One-day he volunteered sending one of Moti’s paintings to the competition. It was summer and Dattu went to spend some days at his grand father’s place. On his return he was back to his routine and took to his cycle selling flowers. As usual he passed through the two houses where he regularly used to sell flowers and looked at the window where Moti used to sit. To his surprise he did not find her. Four days passed and it was the same. On the fifth day, he saw Moti’s photo that was published in the newspaper. Her painting was awarded the first prize in the competition. Dattu was over the moon. He designed a bouquet of roses and ran towards Moti’s house to congratulate her. His heart was beating fast and his mind doubted if the servant maid would allow him to greet Moti. He was anxious and worried triggering the calling bell. In the meanwhile, Moti’s father opened the door. “I want to give these flowers to Moti. I saw her photo in the newspaper. I would like to congratulate her”, said Dattu. Moti’s father was standing dumb, head down with tears rolling down. Wiping his tears, he told, “My dear boy, I do not know who you are. But you gave a meaning to Moti’s life. You gave her the happiness, which I as a father could not give. It's because of you she kept herself happy. She was born with a weak heart and your roses blossomed her spirits of living. The roses presented her the happiest moments of life and have won her the first prize in painting competition. But, dear friend Moti could not stay alive to receive the prize. She passed away throwing me into the darkness of my life making me repent on my actions. She left in serene leaving all her happiness and charm behind. They are all here….let me show you'. Having said this, he took Dattu into Moti’s room. The room was full of paintings of the roses that Dattu gave to her……..…all drawn by Moti. Her bed was empty by the side of the window where she used to sit. Dattu’s heart was beating fast and Moti’s father was standing dumb, head down with tears rolling down… Dattu was back to house with a heavy heart. It was a terrible night for him and literally suffered to digest the fact that Moti was no more in this world. With thoughts blowing his mind……..he waked-up at the crack of the dawn. He planted a rose plant in his compound and named it MOTI. A few months passed and one early sunrise Dattu was delighted to see the rose plant planted by him……and was in highest spirits of life at the sight of a fully blossomed rose that was greeting him.

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